28 Sep 2015 10:41:01
Hi eds
Any update on Benteke injury? Might he be ok for Sunday?
{Ed002's Note - The club has not said anything since they said he was "unlikely" to make the Villa game, which I guess is encouraging for next weekend.}
28 Sep 2015 11:28:16
Personally I would keep Ings up top. He's looked the only player who's up for it at the moment. Fast becoming a fan favourite!
It's up to Benteke to win his place back now.
28 Sep 2015 11:43:42
Cheers Ed
Would you put him straight back in with Studge or keep Ings in the team?
{Ed002's Note - I have got no feeling at all for what will happen. It is hard to see a long-term role for Sturridge.}
28 Sep 2015 12:24:34
Hi ed002,
Can I ask why you believe there won't be a long term role for Sturridge?
Is it his injuries?
Or do you mean just while while we are playing in our current formation/style?
I really like Sturridge and I think he gives something different to Benteke and something different again to Ings.
Cheers
{Ed002's Note - The club has done without him for a long time and have added forwards in Benteke, Ings, Firmino and Origi - where would he play?}
28 Sep 2015 12:41:42
I can't see Sturridge being the one to make way, they will find a way to play him and benteke together
28 Sep 2015 13:14:13
Studge is head and shoulders above all. would be suicide not to play him
{Ed002's Note - So where would he play?}
28 Sep 2015 14:00:08
He will play up top probably wide of benteke, Ings and origi will miss out.
{Ed002's Note - So a change in style to suit one player - seems risky.}
28 Sep 2015 14:00:41
Alongside Benteke with Coutinho just behind them. Ings as back up and give Origi cup games. This still leaves Firmino i suppose. I get what ya saying ed but Sturridge has to play and surely Rodgers understands that.
{Ed002's Note - Why does he have to play? He seems surplus now - and Liverpool need to raise money so perhaps if he could prove his fitness he could be sold in January - perhaps even raise enough to cover the cost of Ings?}
28 Sep 2015 14:14:09
Just off Benteke and Ings is back up, super sub. Origi isn't ready or good enough right now, Firmino is not a striker. Don't stir up something about Sturridge being sold with those comments Ed. it's clear Sturridge is a first 11 player by the way he automatically starts if there is just a sniff he's fit enough, how Rodgers almost rests his job on the goal return of him too.
He can play up top with Benteke or just off him, a diamond has always had decent results for Rodgers. Also, most top sides looking to challenge for titles etc have 4 proven strikers or three and one upcoming
{Ed002's Note - Sturridge will want to play at centre forward and nowhere else. The Liverpool fans beat their meat every year about marquess signings - and the manager was able to provide with two this summer - Firmino (a wide forward or an attacking midfield player) and Benteke (a good old fashioned centre forward). Sturridge is surplus to requirements and if a decent offer arrived then it would have to be considered. You need to be realistic about this.}
28 Sep 2015 14:16:02
Haha, I'm not sure if your on the wind up ed but Sturridge has a better goal to games record than Torres, Suarez, fowler and Owen etc. if they can keep him fit he will keep playing. He has had a nightmare with injuries and keeping him fit will be imperative but saying a shift in personnel to accommodate him would be risky seems odd given how poor we have been, surely the only way is up.
{Ed002's Note - Of course his goals to games ratio will be better - in more than three and a half season at the club he has probably only played about half of the games that Suarez did in the same time. Twisting statistics to suit a player that is often not available through injury and is surplus as a centre forward now won't help Liverpool moving forward any more that adapting formations for when he might be available.}
28 Sep 2015 14:18:57
Ings has done really good and has earned his place in the team , i thought he would not be this good but i hold my hand up and say i was wrong , also i can only see him getting better , he will score a good few goals if he keeps getting played
28 Sep 2015 14:37:44
I'm not sure that I agree he is surplus to requirements. Sturridge and Benteke are Rodgers' two most highly valued strikers. He will happily bench Ings once Benteke is fit again. Despite how good Ings has been, 2-3 good games in a very short LFC career doesn't place him above Sturridge on the pecking order.
28 Sep 2015 14:39:12
I do see what your saying Ed and tbh I've not considered selling him on as I've also been clouded by his scoring stats. You think he would struggle playing alongside Benteke? Do you know if the club are looking to sell him in Jan then?
{Ed002's Note - The club has to raise money by the end of June and the two options they have to do that is (a) the players on loan-to-buy deals completing the transfers at the end of the season, and (b) sell in January. As I have explained, if a decent offer arrives it will need to be considered.}
28 Sep 2015 14:58:04
I understand your reasoning Ed but I'd still play Sturridge when fit as he's still the best centre forward we've got.
I would never have bought Benteke in the first place and I haven't seen him do a single thing yet that had made me glad we bought him
In fact I'd have rather bought Rondon
28 Sep 2015 15:17:51
Fair enough mate will see what develops then. I just hope who ever plays can score the goals needed to get us put of this rut we are in.
28 Sep 2015 15:04:11
Ed002: There is no way we should be selling Sturridge. He is one of our truly world class players-- he showed it against Villa-- and has the pace, one-touch control, and the movement, to form a truly successful partnership with Ings and, when he returns, potentially Firmino.
Yes, Firmino was a marquee/big signing. So was Benteke, but I'd estimate most fans didn't think the latter fit so well into our style of attack, which is high pressing, movement, pace, through balls from creative midfielders like Coutinho/Hendo. And, certainly, Ings-- who also has movement and pace-- has seemed more comfortable than Benteke up front.
I still don't think Benteke is going to excel here, for the reasons everyone thought from the beginning. He is a beast in the air and his hold up play and touch is good for a big guy, but he doesn't have the same touch, pace, movement as Ings/Sturridge/Firmino, which allows Coutinho to create. And as you said, we shouldn't change our attack for "one player".
{Ed002's Note - I am not sure how you figure Sturridge to be "world class". Like it or not, Sturridge has not been available to play in the majority of games since he arrived, and like it or not, Benteke is here to stay.}
28 Sep 2015 15:04:12
Cheers for all the responses Ed.
If Sturridge does prove his fitness by January can you see clubs making offers for him?
And if so, who?
Can you see him going to one of the bigger teams? Arsenal need a striker for example, so do Man City. Or do you see him moving to someone like a Spurs or maybe Newcastle?
I can't see him going abroad myself but maybe the slower pace of La Liga would suit him. Maybe Braca could bring him and Suarez together again haha
{Ed002's Note - There are certainly several EPL sides who will be looking at strikers in January, as you say Manchester City and Spurs will be, and Chelsea are already trying to get some January transfers in place. Arsenal may also look. But right now after a couple of games he won't be attracting attention.}
28 Sep 2015 15:19:04
Hope we don't sell him as he is IMO our best striker and is adaptable as well and if he proves his fitness then don't see why wouldn't keep him.
Feel for Origi as with ings coming in don't see where he plays (ings, studge, benteke + youth more then covers strikers).
But ed makes a point in that players will have to go to raise money but would this mean that near enough every player is up for sale provided the right offer comes in?
{Ed002's Note - If a player wants to leave and an acceptable offers are made then the majority of the clubs would support a move happening. One problem that comes with players being courted by clubs who are or who are potentially more successful and have the money to make a bid is that it can be disruptive (Sterling, Tevez, Ben Arfa, Bent are good examples). Then you need move on as Liverpool did with Sterling.}
28 Sep 2015 16:10:57
Not sure if Ed002 is just having a bit of a wind up or not but there is next to no chance of sturridge going anywhere anytime soon, he loves the club and he is reconginised by the management as one of our best players.
We definitely have bigger things to be concerned with right now than Sturridge leaving!
Keep up the good work guys
{Ed002's Note - You are clearly not grasping what is being said.}
28 Sep 2015 16:18:27
I would hope that whoever is in charge of Liverpool would realize sturridge needs to play when fit
28 Sep 2015 16:32:58
I don't think anyone would pay big money for Sturridge but if coutinho keeps his form up I see him being a target from other clubs and if ed 2 says we need money well then he's the one I think we could find hard to keep . If Sturridge wasn't made of glass he would be a target for most teams , anyway I was happy with 3 points and Sturridge getting back in with a bang . Let's see where it brings us. I do get annoyed listening to Rogers and some of the selections are strange but he is our manager for now and until I hear different I support him .
28 Sep 2015 16:58:41
Apart from baybe couts he is the best player at the club in my opinion and 42 goals in 69 appearances is not something to be sniffed at. I understand what you are saying ed but if he proves his fitness and keeps scoring goals I don't see any way he could be sold he will be our top goal scorer by a country mile come christmas.
28 Sep 2015 16:30:54
I did read the messages Ed002 i just don't agree with your statements.
Sturridge since he has been playing under Rodgers has improved massively technically as have many players (which is one of Rodgers attributes IMO), he is an extremely competent passer now and plays with his head up, his touch is very good and he has an explosive turn of pace and he is an excellent finisher.
To be really up there with the best he needs to be able to hold the ball up more efficiently, win a few more headers and give a better delivery from wide areas when he drifts out to pick up the ball or is playing in a fluid 3 + he must get on top of his injuries
I really don't see any prospect of him being sold, i guess there is a chance someone like markovic (in the summer), Lallana, moreno or lucas may leave if funds are needed
Thanks
{Ed002's Note - He hardly ever plays. A "fluid 3 +" is not a term the real world uses. If he is not playing as a centre forward he will get pissed off again. Players are transients and people come and go - Coutinho will be subject of a bid in 2016. Markovic has zero future at Liverpool but they overpriced him out of a move. They screwed with Sakho this summer as well. What colour is the sky where you live?}
28 Sep 2015 16:52:01
Ed002: Sturridge has, indeed, had a bad experience with injuries. No question. But when he is fit, it's hard to deny his quality, which he showed against Villa. He may very well save Rodgers' job with his one-touch composure and finish.
In 2013/14, he scored 22 goals, second in the entire EPL (behind Suarez) and ahead of Rooney, Bony, Dzeko, Giroud, Benteke, Van Persie, Hazard, etc.
Benteke may be here to stay, but my prediction is that Sturridge and Ings will be far more productive for us. Origi is the logical striker to sell in January. Not sure where Joe Allen fits either; he's not a true DM to replace Lucas.
{Ed002's Note - (a) It is nothing to do with his "quality". (b) It is nothing to do with the number of goals he scores on the occasions he is fit. (c) Origi won't be sold in January.}
28 Sep 2015 17:19:08
I think it is too early to say that Sturridge is surplus as it depends on how Benteke, Ings and Origi pan out. I hate judging a player so early, but at this earliest juncture, it is very clear that Origi is nothing but a expensive squad player who will only start a game here or there. If he impresses we might see him getting regular game time, but the nature of the game is such that if he doesn't get a fairly regular go in the side, he will be send out on loan, and we all know how LFC players out on loan do, and where they end up.
As for changing tactics to accommodate Sturridge, I would wait to see what happens when Rodgers is thrown and what the new manager does. I was interested to know what Rodgers does when he has both Benteke and Sturridge available, and he changed his tactics to accommodate both in the only game they have played together (like he did when both Sturridge and Suarez were both available and Sturridge refused to play out wide).
I think Sturridge is an excellent player who has stepped up and has shown that he can be as good as any forward in the PL when fit. Keeping him fit will be a difficult issue and that is why the likes of Ings has been brought in IMO. Firmino is versatile and can easily fit in as a wide player and I wouldn't use him in the discussion with 4 forwards - Benteke, Sturridge, Ings and Origi. Firmino will be jostling with Coutinho, Lallana and Ibe for a wide role under the Brodge.
I appreciate Ed002's comments; its good to see him getting involved.
28 Sep 2015 17:19:12
Ings is the man in form, Sturridge is the best finisher.
Don't care about price tags (there's a song there), Ings has hit the ground running, Benteke has to earn his place.
Ings and Sturridge up top.
28 Sep 2015 17:29:19
Easy.
They will sell Coutinho.
He's going to move anyhow.
A bid from Barcelona makes it easier for owners to sell.
{Ed002's Note - It won't be the owners decision.}
28 Sep 2015 17:48:22
The sad thing is that I think we all expect couts to go in the summer, I'm sure his sale will allow us to overspend on the wrong players again next season but he may be the last player in our squad that will fetch the top money.
28 Sep 2015 20:02:51
Whilst I appreciate the financial situation I would hope that a new manager comes in and makes keeping the best players a priority, followed closely by selling the spares and unwanted players. If we sell coutinho, even to balance the books, then we've lost our ambition in my eyes.
28 Sep 2015 17:34:15
thanks for your response Ed002.
Coutinho may well start to gain interest from other teams but right now he is a player we are not interested in selling, i'm not sure what relevance Sakho had to do with our debate but he has now signed a new contract and the intention is that he now will be a starter in our squad (although he has been told that before more than once before).
When i said fluid 3 i was referring more to when he plays with a strike partner and finds himself out wide as he did with suarez and as he did on saturday with ings
I understand we will have to sell over the next few transfer windows but i consider any of the players i listed to be far more likely to be moved on than sturridge, of course thins can always change and you are correct in saying players are just employees of the club.
the likelihood of sturridge being sold in January is very low indeed
28 Sep 2015 20:40:29
Ed002 is clearly just trying to wind things up a notch. The club has stood by Sturridge and Sturridge will stand by the club, and I'm sure whichever manager comes in will realise that his kind of quality is needed to keep our team competitive. In terms of Benteke, all i'm going to say is this; at least we're not paying THOSE wages for Falcao :D
{Ed002's Note - It is embarrassing that you want to make this about Chelsea.}